Bangladesh Army
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The Bangladesh Army (Bangla:Bānglādesh Shenā Bāhini, বাংলাদেশ সেনাবাহিনী) is the land forces branch of the Bangladesh Armed Forces. It was formed on 15 April 1971 following the oath of the Bangladesh Government at Meherpur, Kushtia during Bangladesh War of Independence originally consisting of Bengali soldiers and officers who defected from the Pakistan Army. Its current strength is estimated to be over 144,000 personnel.[citation needed]
The Bangladesh Army structure is similar to many armies of the Commonwealth Nations. However, major changes have undergone following the adoption of U.S. Army]] tactical planning procedures, training management techniques and noncommissioned officer educational systems.
It is supported by artillery, medical, engineers, nurses, armored and combat corps. In times of war and crisis, the Bangladesh Army can also be reinforced by the Bangladesh Rifles, Ansar, Village Defence Parties (VDP), and other land forces numbering about one million trained personnel.
It has specialised its peacekeeping operations capabilities around the world trhough participation in peacekeeping and nationbuilding. It has created BIPSOT(Bangladesh Institute of Peace Support Operation Training) which is dedicated to training of peacekeepers for employment in all types of UNPSO (UN Peace Support Operations). This institute fulfils the requirement of UNDPKO as per General Assembly resolution which outlines ‘the necessity and responsibility of every nation to train their armed forces before any deployment’. The U.S. Military has taken keen interest and participating in this area.
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[edit] History
With Bengal as the principal post of English rule and trade for most of its entire Raj Colonial rule in the sub-continent, East Bengal under the British Rule was a prominent place for British military and police recruitment, when entire horse-mounted, cavalry and lancer units were named after Bengal, especially prior to the Bengal Sepoy Mutiny of 1857. Since which time the worst violations of human rights by the Britsih landed upon the Bengali's.
After the First War of Independence, native Bengalis were forbidden from enjoying basic freedoms among many others including from entering military service citing the "martial races theory", primarily because majority of them were involved in the revolt against the British. In fact later the units called Bengal Lancers and Bengal Cavalry were often recruited from non-Bengali races.
[edit] Formation during War of Independence 1971
The formation of the Bangladesh War of Independence undertook at the Sector Commanders Conference held in the week of July 11-17th, 1971. It was of extreme historical significance and tactical consequence. This conference was mainly in significance of command structuring of Bangladesh Forces, sector reorganization and reinforcement. This conference was equally presided over by the Bangladesh interim government in exile Prime Minister Mr. Tajuddin Ahmed and General Osmani, during which the retired Colonel was promoted and reinstated as active duty into the armed forces of Bangladesh as its senior most official. General M A G Osmani was thereby appointed Commander in Chief of all Bangladesh Forces. Principal participants of this conference was Squadron Leader M.Hamidullah Khan, Major Ziaur Rahman, Wing Commander Bashar, Major Jalil, Captain Haider, Lt. Col. Abdur Rab and Group Captain A.K.Khandaker. Lt.Col Rab was appointed as Chief of Army Staff, Squadron Leader Hamidullah was assigned to the largest guerilla training camp of the liberation war at Chakulia, Bihar, as the Chief Military Representative of the Bangladesh government in exile and Group Captain Khandaker as Deputy Chief of Armed Forces. The preliminary preparation for the creation of the Bangladesh Air Force was also initiated with Khandakar to be its first chief. In this meeting, Bangladesh was divided into Eleven Sectors under Sector Commanders.
The 10th Sector was directly placed under Commander in Chief and included the Naval Commandos as C-in-C’s special force.[1] Sector Commanders directed the guerrilla warfare. For better efficiency in military operations each of the sectors were divided into a number of sub-sectors. On November 21, 1971 Bangladesh Liberation Force handed over the full command and authority of its operations to the Indian armed forces to command the war. The Pakistani army on December 16, 1971 surrendered itself to the Indian army.
The table below provides a list of the sectors along with the area under each of them, the names of the sector commanders and the names of sub-sectors.
[edit] 11 Sectors and Subsectors
| Sectors of Bangladesh Liberation War | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Sector | Area | Sector Commander | Sub Sector (Commanders) |
| 1 | Chittagong District, Chittagong Hill Tracts, and the entire eastern area of the Noakhali District on the banks of the river Muhuri. The headquarters of the sector was at Harina. | • Major Ziaur Rahman April 10th '71 - Jun 25th '71 • Major Rafiqul Islam 28th Jun '71 - Feb 14th '72 |
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| 2 | Districts of Dhaka, Comilla, and Faridpur, and part of Noakhali District. | • Major Khaled Mosharraf April 10th '71 - Sep 22nd '71 • Major ATM Haider Sector Commander Sept 22nd '71 - December 18th '72 (represented Bangladesh at the surrender of the Pakistani Army) |
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| 3 | Area between Churaman Kathi (near Sreemangal) and Sylhet in the north and Singerbil of Brahmanbaria in the south. | • Major K M Shafiullah April 10th '71 - July 21st '72 • Captain ANM Nuruzzaman July 23rd '71 - Feb 14th '72 |
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| 4 | Area from Habiganj District on the north to Kanaighat Police Station on the south along the 100 mile long border with India. The headquarters of the sector was initially at Karimganj and later at Masimpur. | • Major Chittarajan Datta April 10th '71 - Feb 14th '72 • Captain A Rab |
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| 5 | Area from Durgapur to Danki (Tamabil) of Sylhet District and the entire area up to the eastern borders of the district. The headquarters of the sector was at Banshtala. | • Major Mir Shawkat Ali April 10th '71 - Feb 14th '72 |
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| 6 | Rangpur District and part of Dinajpur District. The headquarters of the sector was at Burimari near Patgram. | • Wing Commander M Khademul Bashar April '71 - Feb 14th '72 |
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| 7 | Rajshahi, Pabna, Bogra and part of Dinajpur District. The headquarters of the sector was at Taranngapur. | • Major Nazmul Haq April 10th - Aug 20th '71 • Major Kazi Nuruzzaman Aug 21st - Feb 14th '72 • Subedar Major A Rab |
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| 8 | In April 1971, the operational area of the sector comprised the districts of Kushtia, Jessore, Khulna, Barisal, Faridpur and Patuakhali. At the end of May the sector was reconstituted and comprised the districts of Kuhstia, Jessore, Khulna, Satkhira and the northern part of Faridpur district. The headquarters of the sector was at Benapole. | • Major Abu Osman Chowdhury April 10th - July 17th '71 • Major MA Manzur Aug 14th '71 - Feb 14th '72 |
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| 9 | Barisal, Patuakhali, and parts of the district of Khulna and Faridpur. | • Major M A Jalil July 17th - Dec 24th 1971 • Major MA Manzur • Major Joynal Abedin |
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| 10 | This sector was constituted with the naval commandos. | • Commander HQ BD Forces Dec 3rd - Dec 16th 1971 | None. |
| 11 | Mymensingh and Tangail alongwith parts of Rangpur - Gaibandha, Ulipur, Kamalpur and Chilmari. The headquarters of the sector was at Mahendraganj. | • Major Ziaur Rahman June 27th '71 - Oct 10th '71 • Squadron Leader M. Hamidullah Khan Nov 3rd '71 - Feb 14th '72
Major Abu Taher Oct 10 '71 - Nov 2nd '71 [ lost leg in mine blast ] |
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The Bangladesh Armed Forces was organized for Liberation War in 1971 into three brigades.
- Z force, under Major Ziaur Rahman, consisted of 1, 3 and 8 East Bengal Regiment.
- S Force, under Major Safiullah, was created in October 1971 and consisted of 2 and 11 East Bengal.
- K Force, commanded by Khaled Mosharraf was created with 4, 9 and 10 East Bengal.
[edit] Major operations
[edit] Bangladesh War of Independence 1971
The people of Bengal fighting to gain independence dates back into history beginning in the middle of the 19th Century to the mid-twentieth century, during when the land of Bengal was divided and united a number of times for numerous politico-social reasons, principally based on religious and class lines. With the British exiting the sub-continent during mid-19th century, the birth of two newly formed nations India and Pakistan took effect. Pakistan was divided into two sections along religious lines, East Pakistan and West Pakistan, but there were major cultural differences between these two divisions, reminicent of the entire subcontinent. Since Independence, a major human right issue among the two sides was brewing. The issue of Bengali and not Urdu as the major national language at least in East Pakistan if not entire Pakistan, as Bengali's were majority of the Pakistani population but lay on the eastern side. All animosities and disagreements broke out in the streets of East Pakistan, against the establishment of Urdu as the national language. A number of university students including activists involved were shot by government forces.[1] This incident sparked a major division among the two peoples of the West and East Pakistan from which arose mass political uprisings and change in attitude of the common Bengali folk. Within two decades, by 1970, elections had taken place in entire pakistan (both divisions) as to decide the future of the country. East Pakistan, winning the majority of the votes were not allowed to convene in the national parliament and transit to form a national government. Reconcilation and unity pledges did not materialise, and before any attempts to break the stalemate was initiated, a massive military buildup went underway. A brutal crackdown upon the local Bengali population was executed by the national military with wanton torture, rape and murder. The Bengali population rose to the challenge with the call from its most fiery, authoritative and charismatic leader, which was further reiterated by a declarationm made by Major Ziaur Rahman through radio in Chittagong. The nations independence was declared on March the 26th 1971 and from then on was to be officially known as Bangladesh. A fierce guerilla war broke out throughout the nation, with heavy fighting in some areas. This sparked the beginning of a second mass but slow migration of Hindu's into India that lasted through into the nineties. About half a million[unofficial account] Bengalis were killed. On November 21, 1971 Bangladesh government in exile at Calcutta, India, handed over the full command and authority of all Bangladesh Forces and their operations to the Indian armed forces. The Pakistani army on December 16, 1971 surrendered itself to the Indian army. The Indian army remained on Bangladesh soil until March 19th, 1972.
[edit] Chittagong Hill Tracts
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The Bangladesh Army has been involved in protecting the area of CHT Chittagong Hill Tracts from deep rooted insurgencies mounted by the Shanti Bahini, a militant terrorist group known as the Shanti Bahini, according to reports financed and armed by Bangladesh's neighbor India. Many a times India who denies the charges sat with the Bangladesh Army and government reprensentatives on round table peace talks to resolve the issue. The Shanti Bahini who demands exclusive rights over their fellow Bengali citizens, has been fighting this insurgency in the (CHT) since 1976. However, the situation has greatly improved, as major education, house building, irrigation and other macroeconomic initiatives has undergone. This led to an international peace accord witnessed by the UN was signed between the Government and representatives of the Shanti Bahini in 1997. Army deployment has been significantly reduced in the once deep forests of CHT where most of the grouping was planned and initiated.
With increase of local government participation in the area, peace and stability has been continuous, whereas destruction of property, human rights violation, killings and torture of Bengalis, once a common phenomenon by the Shanti Bahini has greatly reduced. Many Shanti Bahini were captured and tried while many escaped into bordering India. The UNDP, UNHCR including other international NGO's are engaged in human development projects in the area.
[edit] Peacetime activities
Bangladesh Army has been actively involved in United Nations Peace Support Operations (UNPSO). During the first Gulf War in 1991, the Bangladesh Army sent a 2,193 member team to monitor peace in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. Following that, the Bangladesh Army participated in peace keeping activities in Namibia, Cambodia, Somalia, Uganda/Rwanda, Mozambique, former Yugoslavia, Liberia, Haiti, Tajikistan, Western Sahara, Sierra Leone, Kosovo, Georgia, East Timor, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire and Ethiopia. As of February 2008, Bangladesh remained the largest contributor with 11,200 troops in the UN Peacekeeping forces.
[edit] Organization
[edit] Structure
Today the Bangladesh Army has 10 Infantry Divisions with 31 Infantry brigades deployed around the country. It has one armoured division, one artillery division, one engineer division, one commando brigade, one independent Air-defence Artillery brigade and eleven aviation squadrons.[3] The Army has a division for Training and Doctrinal policy formulation and conduct, named the ATDC (Army Training and Doctrine Command) Division. In addition the Army has a number of training institutions spread all over the country that supplement it's fighting strength. The army is divided into the following corps:
- Armored
- Artillery
- Signals
- Engineers
- Infantry
- Army Service Corps
- Army Medical Corps
- Ordnance Corps
- Electrical and Mechanical Engineering Corps
- Special Operations
- Aviation
- Military Police
- Army Dental Corps
- Army Education Corps
- Army Corps of Clerks
- Remounts Veterinary and Farms Corps
- Army Nursing Corps
[edit] Branches of Bangladesh Army
General Staff Branch----- Major General Sina Ibn Jamali (CGS)
Adjutant General Branch---- Major General Motiur Rahman (AG)
Quarter Master General Branch---- Lieutenant General Md Jahangir Alam Choudhury (QMG)
Master General of Ordnance Branch---- Major General Anup kumar Chakma (MGO)
Engineer in Chief Branch---- Major General Md Ismail faruque Chowdhury (E-in-C)
Military Secretary's Branch
Judge Advocate General Branch
Chief of Army Staff The Chief of Army Staff (CAS) is the professional head of the Bangladesh Army. He is also regarded as the senior-most defence official in the armed services by rank. The current CAS is General Moeen U Ahmed, who was appointed on June 15 2005.
[edit] List of Chiefs of Army Staff
- Colonel M.A Rab July 1971- April 1972
- Major General K M Shafiullah April 1972- August 1975 (dismissed after coup)
- Major General Ziaur Rahman August-November 1975 (dismissed in November 3 coup)
- Major General Ziaur Rahman (reinstated) November 7, 1975 - December 1978
- Lt. General Hossain Mohammad Ershad December 1978 - October 1986
- Lt. General Atiqur Rahman September 1, 1986 - November 1990
- Lt. General Nuruddin Khan November 1990 - 1994
- Lt. General Mahbubur Rahman (20 May 1994 to 1996)
- Lt. General Abu Saleh Mohammad Nasim 1996
- General Mustafizur Rahman (24 December 1997 to 23 December 2000)
- Lt. General M Harun-Ar-Rashid (24 December 2000 to 16 June 2002)
- Lt. General Hasan Mashhud Chowdhury (16 June 2002 to 15 June 2005)
- General Moeen U Ahmed (15 June 2005 to Present)
[edit] Ranks
[edit] Commissioned
The rank structure of the Bangladesh Army is modeled along the armies of the Commonwealth Nations. The ranks of Commissioned Officers, and Non Commissioned Officers are (in increasing order)
- Field Marshall - During War Time
- General
- Lieutenant General
- Major General
- Brigadier General
- Colonel
- Lieutenant Colonel
- Major
- Captain
- Lieutenant
- Second Lieutenant
[edit] Junior Commissioned
[edit] Non Commissioned
- Sergeant Major
- Master Sergeant
- Staff Sergeant/Company Quartmaster
- Sergeant
- Corporal
- Lance Corporal
- Private
[edit] Weapons Used
[edit] Wheeled Armored Personnel Carrier (APC)
- BTR-80 A Russian made (8 x 8) Armored Personnel Carrier (APC) is Bangladesh's primary APC. Bangladesh has 700+ of these.
- 66 Al-Fahd Infantry fighting vehicle 240 Built by Saudi Arabia/Egypt, Specially using for UNIKOM PSO mission in Iraq-Kuwait border.
- 9 RN-94 Built by Turkey and Romania, 6 x 6 armoured personnel carrier (APC)
[edit] Tracked Armored Fighting Vehicles (APC/IFV)
- BTR-T Conversion of T-54/55 MBT's into armored fighting vehicles (AFV) by Bangladeshi Engineers. The Army converted 100 or so obsolete MBT's into modern highly protected Heavy APC's and Self-propelled howitzers. Parts for the APC were acquired from Russia and assembled locally.
- M113 This USA-Pakistan made APC in Bangladesh using the M113 for UN missions only on lease basis.
- MT-LB The MT-LB is lightly armored APC manufactured by Russia. Bangladesh Army has 20.
- YW-531 Type 85 This Chinese APC consists of a single 12.7-mm heavy machine gun with the capacity of 10 passengers. Bangladesh has 50.
[edit] Light Battle Tanks
- Type 62 Type 62 Light Battle Tank made by China capable of manoeuvring through the riverine, forest, and mountainous terrains. Bangladesh have 142 in total of this tank (42 Type62 LBT and 80 Type 59 II MBT's). Type 62 LBT's were later upgraded with a laser rangefinder and capability of protection against high explosive anti-tank (HEAT) projectile
Presently Bangladesh army has obsoleted these T62 tanks and converted those into APCs and Self Propelled artillery guns.
[edit] Main Battle Tanks (MBT)
- T-54/55 A Russian Main Battle Tank, Currently They have been converted and upgraded to APC's, IFV's and SPH to keep them in service for many years to come. A couple of this type of tank was the donated from Saudi Arabia as Bangladesh deployed its troops there in the Gulf War as part of a broad international coalition effort against Saddam Hussein and his military forces.
- Type 59 II Chinese licensed version of Russian Type 54A Main Battle Tank. Bangladesh Army bought 120 tanks from China including the Type 59 II MBT's till 1990.
- '"Type-96"' Bangladesh have 48 of these.About 100 more to be procured soon.
- Type 79 Upgrade of the common Type 69 MBT, developed by the Chinese. Now Bangladesh Army operates hundreds of Type 79 MBT's.
However, in near future BD army is in the agreement to buy a regiment of Russian tank with upgraded version of armor and higher engine power.
[edit] Anti Aircraft Artillery
- M-53/1
- M-53/2
- Type 55
- Type 56
- Type 58
- Type 59
- Type 59
- Type 90
- ZPU-1
- ZU-23
- HN-5 (MANPADS)
- QW-2 (MANPADS) - Manufactured locally by BOF.
- RBS-70 (MANPADS) - Status unverified.
[edit] Aircraft
- 1 Cessna 208
- USA
- Reconnsaince Aircraft
- PT-6
- USA
- Training Aircraft
- C-130J
- AN-32
- Russia
- Transport Aircraft
- MiG-29
- Russia
- Fighter Aircraft
- F-7
- USSR
- Fighter Aircraft
- Mi-8
- USSR
- Attack Helicopter
- Mi-17
- USSR
- Attack Helicopter
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Official Website of Bangladesh Army
- Additional Information on Bangladesh Army
- Unofficial Bangladesh Military Forces Website
- Library of Congress Country Studies assessment of Bangladesh Army (1988)
[edit] References
- ^ Language Movement
- ^ Bangladesh War of Independence Armed Forces
- ^ Routledge/IISS, IISS Military Balance 2007, p.313
